Forgiven, Not Forgotten
by Nadja Lee
Summary: Scott comes back to clean up the whole “Gambit’s trial” disaster.


Forgiven, not forgotten                                     

By Nadja Lee       01/04/01

Disclaimer: "X-men" and all the characters here belong to Marvel, 20 Century Fox and I intend no infringement, this is a piece of amateur fan fiction, and I make no money of it.

Only the original idea contained within this work is the property of the author. Please do not copy this story to any website or archive without permission of the author.

Timeline: Set in the comic universe, right after Scott's "resurrection" from Apocalypse. After comic UXM 391.

Pairing: Scott/Jean hints at Scott/Ororo

Summary: Scott comes back to clean up the whole "Gambit's trial" disaster.

Archiving: Want, ASK, take, have.

Feedback: Yes, please. My e-mail address is neh@post10.tele.dk.

Dedicated to: Jemisard. Your words are as beautiful as your mind.

Rating: PG

Thanks to Christina for the Beta.

Part 1:

Scott drove towards the mansion on his motorcycle. He had just spent a few days with his father; having finally gotten some answers to questions he had had all his life. Strange, how being dead could put so many things in perspective…. and change the way one looked at the world. Things which had once seemed so important had become trivial and he had found that he had just one dream left; the dream of a family. He had started with his father and cleaned up his relationship with him. Now he had a few things to clear up at the mansion and after that he wanted to find Nathan and discuss a few things with him and then…then he'll return home. Home to Jean.

Scott parked his motorcycle and went to the front door. As he was to open it, Ororo opened it from the inside.

" Scott!" Ororo said happily and smiled. " Good to have you back."  

" Good to be back," Scott said and smiled at her before gathering her in a hug.

" Look, who's here. The teacher's pet is back in town," Remy commented with a smile. Scott shook his hand and Remy gave him a slap on the shoulder.

" Sugah, Ah knew that you were too stubborn to die," Rogue grinned and Scott nodded to her.

" Rogue," he acknowledged but only Jean would have been able to detect the distance that had entered his voice. Rogue was part of the reason why he was here.

Part 2:

" Remy, do you have a minute?" Scott asked as he had answered all the whys, ifs and hows. They all sat in the kitchen but now Scott stood and went out in the garden.

" So?" Remy asked as Scott continued to walk towards the end of the garden and Remy walked next to him, trying to catch up.

" I will be blunt. I have known for some time now about your role in the Morlock massacre," Scott said and continued to walk; didn't look at him. Remy stopped in surprise. This wasn't what he had expected Scott to say. Scott turned back to him.

" How long have you known?" Remy asked lowly.

" Since before I went to Alaska with Jean."

" That long?! How did you find out?"

" The signs were all there. Your reluctance to talk about your past, your hatred towards Sabretooth, your sorrow and guilt regarding the Morlock massacre…." Scott's voice didn't betray his emotions on the subject and Remy wished he could see his eyes to read emotions there.

" You never said anything," Remy´s voice still held disbelief.

" It wasn't relevant. You have always been a great asset to the team and I know you didn't mean what happened to take place."

" So….you're gonna throw me out now?" Remy asked, no heat in his voice. Scott raised an eyebrow at him.

" No. I have no right to judge your actions. I wasn't there nor did you wrong me personally and as I said I know you never meant to harm anyone. No, to judge you isn't my place."

" You…you have forgiven me?" Remy asked, happiness in his voice. Just for someone to forgive…anyone…what a relief.

" To forgive, you must first judge and find guilty. As I said it isn't my place to judge and therefore neither is it to forgive." 

Scott started to walk back towards the mansion.

" I…that means a lot to me," Remy mumbled lowly. Scott most has heard for he said;

" Why should I judge you and find you guilty when you have already done so yourself? I can think of no greater punishment for you than the one you have already given yourself." 

They walked in silence for a while.

" I guess you want your old job back," Remy then said. Scot stopped and looked at him.

" No. You have done a good job and you are a good leader; being leader of the Thieves Guild probably helped you."

 " I didn't know you knew that."

" I'm not quite as clueless as you may think," Scott mumbled and they continued towards the mansion.

" I never thought you clueless. On the contrary. If anyone were to find out about my past; I always knew it'll be you," Remy admitted. Scott smiled.

" Cajun charm," he said and Remy laughed. Suddenly Remy felt much better, his heart much lighter. Maybe in time…amends was possible.

Part 3:

" Scott, did you talk with Remy?" Ororo asked a few hours later.

" Yes." 

Ororo looked questionable at him but he didn't elaborate.

" Ororo, may I have a word with you?"

" Of course, my friend," she said and they walked into Scott's office where Ororo seated herself in a chair but Scott remained standing.

" When Bobby, Hank and Warren visited Jean and I in Alaska they told me. About Remy," Scott began. Ororo looked sad.

" Yes, it was…." she seemed at a loss for words.

" That is exactly what I wanted to talk to you about. What the Hell happened?" Scott asked and his voice held a hard edge.

" I'm not exactly sure myself," Ororo admitted. " The others returned and Rogue claimed Remy had died."

" And no one searched for him?! If nothing else the body should have been brought back!" Scott asked disbelieving.

" I don't know what went wrong but everything did. I did search for Remy myself but didn't find him," Ororo admitted and Scott could hear the guilt in her voice.

" So, you all thought Remy killed?"

" Yes," Ororo answered softly. For they had thought him dead, hadn't they? They hadn't left him…she hadn't left him. Had she?

" Very well. But then Hank said Remy returned…and told that Rogue abandoned him. What did you do about that?" Though he tried to hide it, distaste was in his voice. Ororo looked down for a moment.

" Nothing," she admitted. She had done nothing; the others had done nothing…all hoping it could be forgotten, hiding their guilt by burying the crime.

" You did nothing. A teammate …and friend is tried murdered by another member of the team and no one do anything? In fact she is rewarded for her abandonment of a team-mate by being given leadership," his voice was calm but cold and Ororo winced.

" She was the only one who wanted the job," she said, knowing how hollow and insufficient that sounded.

" Rogue isn't a competent leader. You are. I know I have no right but the least I can do is try and make up for all the injustice, directly or indirectly, we have all done against Remy by asking you to take over leadership from Rogue. As long as she remain as leader we could just as well write a sign on the door saying we see ourselves above the law, that we feel superior enough to play judge and jury in one," he kneeled before Ororo and took her hands in his. " All what we have fought against, all what we have bleed and died for…We are mutants but wants to be looked at as humans...not monsters or Gods who see it as their right to judge over life and death." 

Ororo nodded and smiled softly.

" It will be done," she promised and he stood up again.

" Good."

Ororo stood too and on impulse hugged him, kissing his cheek.

" You always were this ship's captain; always guiding us safely home," she said softly before releasing him. She walked out the room; leaving him alone.

" If I'm its captain, you are its queen," he whispered softly to the empty air.

The End?   


End file.
